I was late for work. I came in all disheveled, but excited about the new artworks I was going to appraise today.

They were from an artist called "Hikari," famed to be rescued from the Cultural Reformation.

I ran into my office and saw my boss Dan standing there with the owner of the works, Kei Hiwatari.

"Is this the woman?" Kei asked eagerly.

He looked like a hawk sizing up its prey. I shivered.

"Yes this is one of my best and brightest." Dan praised. "This is Kiana Ofuda. Kiana, this is Kei Hiwatari, owner of the Hikari collection."

I already knew all that, but I smiled and bowed.

"Pleased to meet you, Hiwatari-san." I said.

He chuckled darkly. "Ofuda-san, I'd like you to appraise them all, but start with the Kokuyoku there. I'm most anxious to hear what an expert like you has to say about it."

So I went to the room full of Hikari art. I've been around lots of art, but these works seemed to whisper.

I stepped closer.

"What are you saying?" I asked the Kokuyoku.

"Set me free..."

I fell back, as the lights began to flicker. I told myself it was nothing, had to be nothing—and then the large winged statue began to glow and unfold its wings—and out stepped a magnificent angelic man.

Xxx

Krad stretched his wings and looked at the woman cowering on the floor.

"Are you Hikari?" He boomed. "Only my tamer or a bloodline ancestor can awaken me!"

"I-I-I'm not." Kiana breathed. "I-I-I don't know. I-I-I was...a-adopted."

Krad raised a golden eyebrow, and knelt, outstretching a hand. She must be truly magical to awaken him and give him the power of magic and a form of his own. Surely she did not know her own power—well he would teach her.

Kiana stopped trembling and took his hand, allowing him to help her up. "Are you an angel...or an artwork?"

"Both." Krad said. "But mostly the latter."

Kiana nodded. Her face suddenly determined, fierce. "We have to get you out of here. Someone will see. They could harm you."

"You're worried about me?" Krad was confused. People didn't worry about him. They didn't care about him. And they certainly didn't help him.

Kiana held out her hand. "Cmon!"

Krad never trusted anyone, not even his tamer. And yet...

He placed his white-gloved hand into hers and allowed the young blonde to pull him off into the dark streets of modern San Francisco.